English and Foreign.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 381, 28 June 1856, Page 8

English and Foreign.

INDIA

'ARRIVAL OF THE NEW-GOVERNOR-GENERAL — FORMAL ANNEXATION OF OUDE. t We are indebted for the following- particulars to the South Australian Register, 'which journal acknowledges the receipt'of Indian journals to the 24th of-January, and news via Singapore to the 7th of February. Bombay journals' of the Ist February 'announce the arrival at that' place of his Excellency the new Governor-General of India, Lord Canning, whose reception by all 'classes of the community was of the most flattering kind. On the 7th February, the "Kingdom of Oude was formally annexed" to the Indian Empire ; there was no disturbance, no bloodshed, no rising. The King issued a proclamation to all his ' princes and subjects requiring ' them 'to respect the orders of ' Major-General Outram, the Commissioner. 'The property of the' King has been seized. A refractory rajah, who would never ac--1 knowledge the Oude'" Government," has refused to recognise British1 authority; and collected'about 50,000 men to' resist- by i foi cc of" arms. | : The' Englishman mentions' that a comi! mittee is now engaged in reporting on- the ! system of accounts in the , ordnance department. Its object is to extend its control over all stores whatever, issued -to subordinate departments. • He' remarks on the extreme facility with Avhich enormous orders are occasionally carried out by this ! department; and ascribes it to its excellent internal economy. May it not also be owing to the fact' that it is really-a department " and not a post-office - between Government and the contractors. The Bombay Times mentions that two lines of electric telegraph are on their' way from Europe to India. One connects Sardinia"' and Africa, and will be extended to Alexandria; the other proceeds from Constantinople to the same port. • The Mediterranean Line will,' we believe, he rapidly extended to this country. The company is already formed, and the names of the directois are on our table. The sanction of the Court of Directors Has already been given, and Mr. Brett''waifs only for the report of the Governor-General upon the question. His lordship will, we believe, still be in time to make instantaneous communication between India' and Europe one of the events' of his reign. The "Bombay (Gazette" "mentions that the political agent &t Aden has received accounts of a serious insurrection 'at Judda and Mocha. At the former place'the'British and French Consuls are shut up, and the Arabs are besieging'fhe town. The Brigadier at Aden is unfortunately unable to dispatch a force; as the troops with him are scarcely sufficient to garrison the post. Fifty men: of the Poonah Irregular Horse are to be despatched to Aden, but the detachment is obviously insufficient. It is by cavalry alone that the communications can

be kept up, anil an entire-regiment should Ibe forwarded. Itis only by cavalry -Superior 1 to:their own that 'we•"can hope to coerce the 'Arabs. The idea 'that (his ;is :absolutely ' impossible is appareritly'errori'etius. While '•Ibrahim "Pacha" Was'in Syria,'no Arab dared ito'bre'ath'e withoufhis'perlhiiJssion.

The ''"Bombay 'Telegraph and 'Courier" I publishes a number of •* readings'" > frtftis native 'journals of the ; Presidency. They ■ indicate "that religious feuds 'are raging among' all classes of native society. The Bhatias, ■ a caste who formerly almost worshipped their high priest,'have discontinued I he-practice'as inconsistent with the dignity of human nature. The Hindoos' have recently be'en excommunicated in considerable ' numbers. The Parsees are also' quarrelling among thim^elves, 'Young Bombay desiring to shake off several superstitions, which' the older sections of the community are determined to retain. The discussions seem to 1 be fairly conducted, the anti-reformers being, as usual, the'most abusive. The Mohammedan Association of Calcutta have petitioned the Legislative • Council 'against'the imposition of a special rate "for lighting the town with gas. They object no.fi only to the proposal to light only seclion'^of the townrwhile taxing the whole,' but to the tax?'altogether. They believe that "for-an object for'which there does nbtfappearto be any absolute necessity^ and which1 they regard1 as-a mere'luxury, the people will have to' btar no end of taxation." There is the truth fairly spoken. The petitioners hold gas'to be a useless article, 'they therefore object to pay. -Which is' to rule, the barbarism which calls gas a " luxury," or the civilization which holds it! to;be a necessity ? The' Association has also' taken the high-price of food into'consideration.-It attributes it to the increased exportations, 1 and proposes to petition "Government. ■ The : nature of the petition, and' the remedies it • should suggest, will be determined on-by-a committee.

'The : following-curious judgment of<a court-martial, pronounced in St: Petersburg on the 27th January, has just been published :—" The sub cornet of the • Finland regiment of Cossacks, battalion No.- 15, Biberdoff, descendant of the Princes of Caucasus, has been" condemned' for robbery to the loss of-his princely dignity, to degradation; and to be incorporated iw another ■ battalion. " The unhappy people of Poland are suffering from a new scourge, probably the effect of bi.d or insuificient food—typhus, which, has brbken'out' with great virulence/and is sweeping away'large numbers of the population.